Shelf Staples II - Modus Hoperandi

It’s IPA day!

Of course you can drink an IPA any day of the year but August 6th is a day that connects drinkers, brewers and bloggers through their love of the style. Even if it’s not your favorite type of beer, maybe IPA day is making you think about trying a beer that could change your mind. Many people will be seeking out rare and highly regarded IPAs like Sip of Sunshine, Duet or Julius. However, there are plenty of IPAs that you walk past every time you’re at the beer store that are just as respectable and highly rated on sites like BeerAdvocate or RateBeer. Some beer snobs may disagree but these are our “shelf staples.”

Our staple this month is a beer that may very well have changed some palates in the past: Modus Hoperandi from Ska Brewing. When we were doing some research a few months back, we stopped at The Beer Temple and talked with two of guys there, Nick and Stephen, about what they would call a "shelf staple." This was one of the first beers on their list. It is one of craft beer’s original IPAs and one that has been in the can only longer than those of one other brewery - Oskar Blues. Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau founded Ska Brewing in 1995 in beautiful Durango, Colorado. It did not take long for them to find their flagship in Modus Hoperandi.

An impressive IPA with a heavy pine aroma alongside some citrus and caramel notes, Ska uses Columbus and Cascade hops for aroma. Columbus provides most of the pine notes and Cascade balances with hints of citrus fruit. There is a good malt profile as well from a simple grain bill of pale malt, Caramel 120 and Red Wheat. This is a well-balanced and very drinkable beer. It goes great with spicy food and even dessert.

So if you find yourself searching for an IPA today look no further than Modus Hoperandi. It’s one of our original craft IPAs and because it’s been around for so long most people just breeze by it. The cans have a "best by" date so make sure to buy it fresh!

Note: In fact, make sure when you purchase any IPA, pay attention to the bottling or canning date. Hops will lose their intensity, aroma and flavor pretty quickly, usually within 3-4 months.